1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a discharge device for a condensate operative within a given temperature range, and including a housing, a valve seat disposed in the housing, closure means cooperating with the valve seat and subjected to an inlet pressure, a bimetallic snap disc carrying the closure means, being supported in the housing, and subjected to the pressure, and moving towards the valve seat upon an increase of temperature within the temperature range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Condensate discharge devices, in which opening and closing temperatures do not move in parallel with the pressure of the saturation vapor curve, are used primarily where delay-free condensation is not of importance, and where the heat content of the condensate may possibly still be made use of. A bimetallic snap disc causes, as is known, a snap-like opening and closing of the closure means. In known condensate discharge devices of this type, known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 1,681,911, a disadvantageous result occurs; namely, during cooling of the bimetallic snap disc, before a jump-wise release of the closure part into a wide-open position, there occurs a slow and steady decrease of the sealing force, by means of which the closure part is pressed onto the valve seat. Only thereafter, and during a further decrease of temperature can the bimetallic snap disc cause the closure part to move into a wide-open position. During appropriate operating conditions, there can, however, already be established an equilibrium during any decrease of the sealing force between the condensate being condensed and discharged, and thus between the opening forces and the closing forces. During such conditions, a jump-wise opening of the closure part does not then occur at all. In such a situation, namely without an adequate sealing force, the condensate discharge device no longer closes reliably. Deposit of contaminations and erosion of the closure location are disadvantageous consequences of such an arrangement.